1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for a circuit and is designed particularly to make terminal fittings less susceptible to deformation and damage from the outside. Furthermore the present invention relates to a method for producing a connector for a circuit board, having substantially bent terminal fittings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 6 shows a prior art connector for a circuit board, in which a receptacle 31 into which a mating housing is fittable is formed at a front part of a housing 30. A plurality of terminal fittings 32 are pressed into the inner wall of the housing 30. One end of each terminal fitting 32 projects into the receptacle 31, and the other end extends straight backwardly of the housing 30 and then is bent downwardly. The back ends of the terminal fittings 32, if necessary, are inserted through an unillustrated alignment plate mounted on the housing 30 for positioning in the terminal fittings. In this state, the connector is conveyed to a place of operation for connection with a circuit board. In this connection process, the back ends of the respective terminal fittings 32 are inserted into through holes formed in an unillustrated circuit board and are soldered to conductive regions on the circuit board.
The respective terminal fittings 32 are bent as shown in FIG. 7 after being pressed into the wall of the housing 30. First, the housing 30 with the terminal fitting 32 mounted thereon is set in a positioning jig 35. At this time, a receiving portion 36 is located below a specified bend location of the terminal fittings 32, and portions thereof which are more toward the ends than these specified bend locations are not supported at all. Subsequently, a bending jig 37 is lowered toward the portions of the terminal fittings 32 to be bent. The terminal fittings 32 then are bent substantially at right angles about the specified bend locations as indicated in phantom line in FIG. 7.
The above bending operation is premised on the prior art connector design. Therefore the housing 30 needs to be so formed as to leave an open space behind and above the receptacle 31 to avoid interference with the bending jig 37. This prior art design requires the ends of the respective terminal fittings 37 adjacent the specified bend location to be exposed upwardly, with the result that the terminal fittings 32 may be deformed upon being subjected to an external force. Even in the case where the terminal fittings 37 are positioned by the alignment plate as described above, if an external force acts, for example, on the bent portions of the terminal fittings 37, the leading ends of the terminal fittings 37 may be opened wider, thereby making the connection with the circuit board 34 difficult.
The present invention was developed in view of the problems residing in the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a connector for a circuit board which can prevent terminal fittings from being damaged. Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for producing a connector.